Amid UDF sweep across Kerala, LDF barely holds on to Kozhikode Corporation

Kozhikode: The long-held perception of the Kozhikode corporation as an impregnable LDF fortress suffered a major jolt in the local body elections after both UDF and NDA made significant inroads. However, the Left front managed to cling on to power in the corporation even as it faced defeats in five others across the state. In the 76-member council, the LDF emerged as the single largest front with 35 seats, enough to retain control of the corporation. However, the CPM-led front fell short of an absolute majority in the corporation for the first time in nearly five decades. In the 2020 election, when the corporation had 75 wards, the LDF had secured a comfortable majority with 50 seats. Meanwhile, the UDF registered a strong comeback, winning 28 seats — up from 18 last time — while the NDA increased its tally from seven to 13 seats, marking its best ever performance in the Kozhikode corporation. LDF's win in the Kozhikode corporation, however, came with a setback after its incumbent deputy mayor C P Musafir Ahmed lost from the Meenchanda ward to UDF's S K Aboobacker. The BJP, meanwhile, scored a high-profile upset by wresting the Pottammal ward which had elected incumbent mayor Beena Philip. The consolidation of Muslim votes favoured the UDF in the coastal belt, while NDA made inroads into traditional Hindu votes of both the LDF and UDF. For the UDF, however, the defeat of its mayoral candidate and KPCC general secretary P M Niyas came as a dampener, even as the front substantially expanded its footprint in the civic body. The names of former health standing committee chairperson S Jayasree and retired deputy collector E Anithakumari are doing the rounds for the mayor's post.

Get an chance to win ₹5000 Amazon Voucher by taking part in India's Biggest Habit Index! Take the survey here